Railway signaling device



Sept. 2, 1924.

W. F. FANNON RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Oct. 50, ':922

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W. F. FANNON RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Maxi/wf/knm azv.

Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

NT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. FANNQN, 0F UI-IRICHSVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO IWILLIAM G. BAKER, OF PORT WASHINGTON, OHIO.

RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE.

Application filed-October 30, 1922. Serial No. 597,982.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIA F. FANNoN, a citizen of the United States,of Uhrichs ville, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway SignalingDevices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it laiupertains to make and use the same.

y invention relates to railway signaling devices, and more particularlyto new and improved means for signaling to the engineer in his cab theconditionof the section of the road ahead, and the object of myinvention is to provide a device of this character which is simple inconstruction and in its mode of operation and which will avoid thenecessity of obstructions of any kind along the side of the railroad,and wherein no part of the electrical equipment is exposed to thechanging weather conditions.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a locomotiveequipped with my improved signaling mechanism. Figure 2 is a front viewwith parts broken away. Figure 3 is a plan of a section of a trackshowing the sliding operating block. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view ofthe signaling mechanism and the resetting device. Figures 5 and 6 areside and front elevations, respectively, of one of the switches.

At 1 I have shown a baserof insulating material which is supported inany preferred manner beneath the fender of the locomotive and on thisbase I mount any de sired number of separate switches each controlling asignal in the cab of the locomotive. Each switch comprises a dependingmovable arm 2 and two contacts 3, one in front and theother in rear ofthe arm so that the signal may be manipulated in nor mal running as wellas in backing of the locomotive. The arms 2 are mounted for swingingbetween two ears 4 fastened to the insulated base 1, the end 5 of eacharm being slightly rounded so as to move against a contact plate 6without friction, the plate 6 being bowed to insure resiliency, andcertain contacts with the arm. This plate forms one of the terminals ofthe signal circuit. Each of the contacts 3, which form the otherterminal of the circuit,

r is of U-shape with-its ends turned in toward each other and then bentdownwardly a slight distance in parallelism with the sides of the U,this construction insuring a firm gripping of the arm 2 when moved intoengagement with the contact. served that when the arm is swung intoengagement with either of the contacts 3 current will pass from thecontact plate 6 through the arm and through the contacts 3.

The signals may be of any preferred type. I have shown in diagrammaticform, Figure 4, an arrangement including an electric bulb 7 and a bell8. The bulbs may be of varied colors common to railroad work forsignaling danger, caution, and ,clear.- The ,circuit be-= tween theswitches and signals includes acommon lead 9 to a source of motive power10, a second lead 12 to the signals, and appropriate leads 13 to thecontacts 3.

Located at appropriate distances along a track are operating blocks 15.These blocks are of a size sufficiently high to strike and throw one ofthe arms of the signal mecha- V nism into engagement with itscomplementary contact as the locomotive passes over the block. If theengine is traveling nor,- mally head on then the arm will engage thecontact to the rear, but on the other hand, if the engine is backing,the arm will strike against the forward contact. Each block 15 ismounted on a .rod 16 reciprocally supported by the track rails. The rodis connected with a leverage mechanism 17 controlled from a tower, notshown, and is moved into any one, in the form shown, of three positionsto engage the arm controlling the danger, caution, or clear signal.

After one of the switch arms has been moved into engagement with itscontact by a block 15 it is necessary to restore the arm to normalposition. This I accomplish by means of a resetting device whichincludes a yoke 20 supported beneath the base 1 in such manner as to notinterfere with movement of the arms but in a position where i electricsignal circuits and means for closing said circuits comprising a baseplate carried by a locomotive, a plurality of normally depending switchblades pivotally mounted on said base in spaced relation, a resilientmember for engagement with each switch blade, a pair of U-shapedcontacts arranged one on each side of each switch blade and mounted onthe base adapted to receive the respective blade for closing thecorresponding circuit, each pair of contacts being connected in thesamecircuit and each switch blade being adapted to close said circuit whenengaging either contact, said resilient member frictionally holding theswitch blade, means for operating the switch blades to engage eithercontact through track-mounted instrumentalities and a single means forreturning all of said blades to the normal depending position.

2. A railway signaling device including electric signal circuits andmeans for closing said circuits comprising a base plate carried by alocomotive, a plurality of normally depending switch blades pivotallymounted on said base in spaced relation, a resilient member forengagement with each switch blade, a pair of U-shaped contacts arrangedone on. each side of each switch blade and mounted on the base adaptedto receive the respective blade for closing the corresponding circuit,each pair of contacts being connected in the same circuit and eachswitch blade being. adapted to close said circuit when engaging eithercontact, said resilient member frictionally holding the switch blade,means for operating the switch blades to engage either contact throughtrack mounted instrumentalities, a looped member pivotally mounted adacent said base and overlying the plate for engagement with the switchblades when in engagement with their contacts, and means for moving saidmember on its pivot adapted to dis engage the switch arms from thecontacts and restore thenr to normal depending position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

/VILLIAM F. FANNON.

